Plath’s Adventures

Today I decided That’s it. I’m on a yarn diet.
No more purchasing yarn until I get some of my stash knit up. Besides, my temp job is over, so it will do us good to save a little $, right?

Of course gifted yarn is another story… I finally gave in and called
1-877-SOS-KNIT yesterday on my lunch break and about fell out of my
chair laughing. I’m sure the people in nearby offices were close to
rushing a family sized bottle of anti-psychotics to me and telling me to leave a
day early, but it was worth it. Really, if you’ve been putting off
calling, do it now. Drop everything and then pick the phone up off
the floor and dial. Don’t have an old rotary phone? Then punch the
numbers. Or maybe you’re about to mail me some anti-psychotics as well. I’m not sure they’d help, but why not?

Anyway, I’m forcing Jason to listen to option number 3 tonight. Heck,
everytime he makes some smartass (partially in jest, and, I suppose, warranted) comment about my exploding yarn storage (you know, the bags falling out of their shelves, the boxes set in front of, next to, underneath the huge built-in shelf. The fact that it grows every week by 10fold not to mention the big basket in the living room, the bag under the bed, the random skeins in my closet…), I’ll make him call and get a little reminder. I’m not the only loony knitter out there, I’ll point out. Here’s proof. Thank you Yarn Harlot. Thank you for reinforcing the fact
that we’re all crazy knitters who have houses of wool, not just me.

For goodness sake, you know it must be bad if I’m self-imposing a yarn diet.

And then what did I find myself doing on my lunch break? Browsing the
Stash Reduction board on KR, the new stock of Peruvian Wool
at Elann (ps the Spiced Wine is beautiful. I’m wearing my Hourglass
knit from it right now, but I’m eyeing Forest Glade and Dark and Mid Indigo Heathers now. I love me a heathered yarn) and checking out Ram Wool’s Grand Opening sale page. Maybe if I link it, someone else will buy it all before it
tempts me to convince Jason to build me another massive yarn storage unit :
Ram Wools Sale

Koigu for $7.95. A Charlotte’s Web kit for $40
Araucania Nature Wool for $4.10!! Sigh. I love Araucania.

Pooey. So far, I’m sticking to it. We’ll see how long I make it. After all, Harlot said it’s ok to be a loony knitter with a mountain of wool. And if she said so, it must be true.

Was it Something I Said?

A few weeks ago, I was reading La la Lumay’s blog, and she mentioned she was working a horrid temp job (scroll down to Sept 5-6); one that she wished she didn’t have to return to the next day. Lo and behold, when she arrived home, she had a message telling her she didn’t need to come back, that they didn’t need her anymore.

Well, after my blog tirade yesterday, I drove in to work, and on the radio, my two morning djs, Dave and Chuck the Freak (not the same since Kelly left) were talking about how you know when it’s time to find another job. Everything they said was pretty much verbatim from my morning blog post: you don’t feel appreciated, you’re not included, you’re not given any responsibility so they don’t value your brains, etc. I thought, hmmm what a coincidence. Well, I scooted in to work (after binding off my cardigan on my ride over– safe, completely stopped traffic jams only!) and sat down at my desk with my cottage cheese breakfast since I was 10 minutes early, and a worker comes in and says they don’t need me past Friday. I was stunned. She then proceeded to tell me what a great job I’ve done, yadayadayada, and that they’ll request me if they need a temp in the future blahblahblah.

It’s going to be hard to let go of that really steady paycheck, and it was one of the higher paying jobs I’ve worked through the temp agency. We’ve had 6 weeks to get used to the higher income, so I hope we’re not hurting with it gone. The grass is always greener, eh? Seriously though, as long as sub jobs are plentiful, all will be ok.

Well, the cardi is finished! It could use a light blocking, but I sewed all the buttons on and wove in the ends. I tried to take a modeling pic last night, but my camera was not cooperating, so it will have to wait. I’m really pleased with it though! Still trying to determine what to cast on for next…

If you read my post on KR, you’d know that I feel as though I haven’t been able to squeeze in enough knitting time lately, so I set aside some time the past few nights to just knit. Well, here is where I’m at on the KP&S cardigan:

SO close! I worked the button holes last night while Jason watched Las Vegas. He summed up that show pretty well: boobs and gambling. There do seem to be quite a few boob shots; I imagine it would make a pretty good drinking game. Everyone would get plastered!

More about my post on KR… I think I feel frustrated because I don’t feel any accomplishment at the job I’m at. There’s not much for me to do, I’m treated like I don’t have any brains, and I don’t get any recognition at all for what I *actually* do. As much as I would love to quit, I know we need the steady pay so we can pay off our (dimishing!) debt and get ahead. I’m just not cut out for office work, I think. I’m meant to be a teacher, but that hasn’t worked out. Grr. Enough ranting!

I’m feeling a little bit better, sick-wise. I caught up on 3 episodes of Knitty Gritty over the weekend: the spinning episode, the poncho/rectangle one and the aran show. We don’t get DIY, but for some reason we *do* get it On Demand, so I’ve been checking weekly to see when they’ll start showing Knitty Gritty. It’s not the best program, but HEY, it’s knitting!

Next project is a secret project I can’t blog about. I just need to find the pattern for it. I’m thinking about starting Ella, though, too. Or the Homespun blanket Lolly knitting up recently (using something from the stash perhaps?). Or maybe one of the projects from the recent Knitty. Or maybe I’ll jump on Boogie’s bandwagon and go for scarves. Oooh choices choices.

I’m getting sick. It’s pre-determined. The entire house is sick– Jason and the HG. I woke up yesterday with a sore throat and a massive headache that are still roaring at me this morning. The girl in my office (there aren’t really cubicles at my job, 3 people share an office which is a little strange to me) was absolutely miserable sick yesterday. So guess how my weekend will be?

I’m kind of twisted in that if I’m getting sick, I say oh joy, I can lay on the couch all day, knit, watch bad movies and no one (dh) can say anything to me. But when it actually comes down to it, I never really feel like knitting when I’m sick. I just hunker down under the blanket and stare blankly at the tv. So, we’ll see how this weekend goes. Of course, there’s massive loads of housework to be done as well, so I probably won’t be getting any blank tv staring anyway. I’ll be sludging around the house, folding laundry, doing dishes and basically recontaminating everything so everyone will get sick all over again. teehee

Lost premiered again on Wednesday, and Wednesday morning I had to take HG to work as Jason was supposed to go to the doctor. It’s early when you get up to get dressed and the news or your morning radio djs aren’t even on! That doesn’t even qualify as morning. Then I had to drive around for 2 hours, since my house is an hour away from my work and it wouldn’t have made since to come back home for 10 seconds. Not much is open at 5:30 in the morning, not even the elustrious Target (hello yarn $1 spot) so I hit Meijer (woohoo) to load up on newspapers and headed over to Mickey D’s for breakfast. Well, by the time Lost rolled around at 9 pm, I was almost off into lalaland, BUT I managed to stay awake through most of it. I must say, though, I’m a little confused. What’s up with that guy in the hatch? He’s the one Jack was running with, right? I really really hope this show doesn’t do the XFiles confuse everyone and confuse everyone thing.

Survivor was on last night. Looks like I really picked a winner in Rox’s contest. Oh yeah. Rafe is just freaking awesome. (insert major sarcasm) At least he didn’t get booted. Though no one else’s picks did either. Grr. I was a little panicked thinking they were going to boot Steph, but thankfully they didn’t.

Still working on the KP&S cardi. Not much progress, as I cast on for a faux Eros scarf out of the Target $1 spot yarn. It’s a little clownish knit up, and I really don’t know why I’m knitting it as I don’t think I’d ever wear it, nor would anyone I know, but it’s my car knitting right now. Does anyone else do this? My drive to work is about 45 minutes to an hour and I hit a LOT of traffic lights (no freeway driving) and backups, so everytime I get stuck in one, I pick up my scarf and knit a row. I knit without looking anyway, so I can be alert and put it down in my lap if traffic starts up again.

I’m so excited to start putting my first package together for my SP6. This is going to be a fun round, as my spoilee is a great knitter and she posts to her blog constantly! I love reading about what she’s knitting. ETA: She left me a comment and I didn’t even see it! Sorry SP

Anyway, back to the grind aka the sick office. The gal said she was going to take a sick day today. I hope she does as she sounded horrible yesterday, and that means I can get a little blog reading done when I have downtime Yippee, it’s Friday!!

I have returned. Here is my weekend in pictures. I had a great time at the festival, but I don’t feel like I got any restful weekend at all! Hope I make it through this week

The entrance to the fair.

Sheep

Border collie herding ducks

Delicious pumpkin ice cream cone from Young’s Dairy

My mom eating her ice cream cone

Purchases! Somehow I didn’t end up with any handspun yarn, which bums me out, but I did get some amazing hand-dyed yarn.

A cashmere/merino blend for $7 a hank:

A beautiful mohair/wool blend:

Sock yarn:

Handmade buttons and a pin. The plan is to give one of the buttons to MIL for Christmas if I can part with one. I love them all though! We got there at 10 when they opened, and I stopped at that booth as one of my first stops and bought them, and I went back about an hour later and all the sheepy ones were gone.

A woman was destashing her knitting magazines for 25 cents a magazine, so I bought all the ones I don’t already have:

After the festival, we went out for pizza at Marion’s pizza, a great pizza place I hadn’t been to in years.

I managed to sneak in a few rows on my KP&S cardi

It’s official! Tomorrow I will be at
A Wool Gathering: The Midwest Festival of Fibers in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

My first fiber festival. I’m so excited!!!!!

P.S. There are two adorable new patterns at Zephyr Style to go check out

Is it the weekend yet? Please?

No?

Well, then just a short post to remind you reality tv fans that Survivor starts again tonight!!! Yipeee! Rox and I are excited, are you?

Not much knitting getting accomplished. I spent the entire day yesterday reading
. I was thisclose to finishing it, but I was bum tired last night. This morning I had to get up at 4:30 to take HG (houseguest) to work so I’m running on caffeine, poptarts, peppermint patty and microwave popcorn today. Oy. I’ll be so glad when it’s Friday at 6 pm. I *may* be going down to my parents though for the Midwest Festival of Fibers in Yellow Springs. We’ll see. Maybe not.

The Knitting Pure and Simple Cardi is progressing nicely– I’m about 8 inches into the 19 required before I can bind off and start the sleeves and edging I hope to have a pic for your soon. Until then, here are the answers to my SP6 Questions! I just received my match yesterday.

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
I tend to be a yarn snob and avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand, but I do use them on occasion. I don’t, however, just purchase expensive yarn though– I love knitpicks yarn and Elann’s brand. I do tend to use only natural fibers or blends though, especially wool.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
No and no

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
I have problems with smoke and certain perfumes, but no allergies to pets or fibers

4. How long have you been knitting?
I honestly can’t remember. 3 or 4 years?

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yep, search for Lisa Youd at Amazon, and I also have a froogle wishlist:
Froogle Wishlist
Neither have been updated lately, so I’ll try to do that this weekend

6. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
orange, patchouli or anything from Pier One

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
Yep, I LOVE dark chocolate, laffy taffy, lemon heads and sugar babies & daddies
I also love really good (though unflavored unless it’s a holiday blend) coffee

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I make soap and do a little scrapbooking

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I listen mostly to rock/alternative and 80s, I can play MP3s

10. What’s your favorite color? Or–do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can’t stand?
I love all shades of green, autumn colors, jewel tones and earth tones
I really can’t stand or wear pastels.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
2 pets– a yellow lab named Marzi, a cat named Patches and a dh, Jason

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
to be happy, have my knitting and my little (ok not so little) inspirational yarn stash

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
wools– any and all, I love tweeds and I’ve been dying to get my hands on some more Cleckheaton Merino Supreme and Online Linie Marly. Yummy merinos! I generally like worsted or heavy dk weight, but I’ve also been wanting to try a few patterns in the Loop d Loop book, but I don’t have a stash of bulky weight yarn for any of them, so I’m open to bulky weight. I do like dk weights for tanks and things. I love Cascade 220, Knitpicks Wool, Elann’s Highland Wool, Handpainted Yarn’s yarns, Briggs and Little, Paton’s Merino…. I don’t tend to go for the expensive brands at all, but I’m certainly open to trying it! I have been wanting to try bamboo yarn.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
novelty yarns– fur yarns, eyelash, nylon ribbon yarns, etc. I tend to gravitate towards more earthy/natural looking yarns.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
right now I’m on a sweater kick, but I’ve previously been on sock kicks, hat kicks and felted purse kicks.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
right now, sweaters. I also have been getting into shrugs (like the One Skein Wonder and the Boobholder), and like knitting tanks. I’ve been wanting to try a sweater vest, too. (p.s. If it matters for yarn quantities, I tend to usually knit the small size– I have a narrow shoulders. Sometimes I go for the medium though).

17. What are you knitting right now?
a sweater LOL. More specifically, the neck down summer cardigan from Knitting Pure and Simple

18. What do you think about ponchos?
I knit one for myself last year, but I don’t know if it’ll see the light of day again

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
circs, by far

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
either bamboo or my denises

21. Are you a sock knitter?
Yep!

22. How did you learn to knit?
Online. I don’t know anyone IRL that knits

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
No idea. I tend to hide the UFOs from myself so I don’t feel guilty… teehee

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
I LOVE gnomes and sheep

25. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas, but I really love Halloween, too, because fall is my favorite season

26. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn (obviously), books, especially knitting books

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Interweave and Family Circle Easy Knitting

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?
All the EZ books except for Knitting W/O Tears (which I already have), Knitters Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, rowan mags (I only have #38) and the English Rebeccas

29. Any patterns you have been coveting, but haven’t bought for one reason or another??
I’m thinking about this one…

ETA: 30. What are your foot measurements, and what kind of socks do you like?
I’m a size 7 US Women’s and I love all kinds of socks.